Elements of a city code for CoolTowns: Residential, office uses

SmartCode residential uses

In relation to the previous blog on retail and civic uses, today’s will illustrate why CoolTowns are walkable and suburbia/rural neighborhoods aren’t – by law.

Understanding that higher densities and mixed-uses are key elements in walkable neighborhoods, notice in the CoolTown-friendly zones (T4-T6) (see transect), every single house type is allowed except the estate house (mansion with extensive greens) and manufactured housing, which is only allowed in T3, suburbia. In the most walkable T5 and T6 zones, detached (T5) then attached (T6) houses are not present (think of what would happen to Manhattan or city downtowns). Also notice that apartments, row houses and duplexes aren’t permitted in typical suburban subdivisions, unless isolated in a special district (SD), not only creating such a low density that it’s too far to walk anywhere, but resulting in a place that can’t be any more homogenous.

Finally, offices aren’t allowed in suburbia unless they’re in separated away in a special district, thereby rendering them unwalkable, but welcome anywhere in the CoolTown zones. Notice the theme?

Image from the SmartCode (6.5 mb pdf). Black dots are ‘by right’, clear dots are ‘by exception’.

  • DavidM

    I think you touched on something that illustrates the big business influence on society. It might sound too parinoid so I won’t go too far into it. But I do think that it is to their advantage to have everything homogenized. Keeping people isolated in their homes and cars. We’re slaves to our televisions and radios to receive their advertisements. I know because I’m in advertising for a large corporation

    Growing up in the burbs we hardly knew our neighbors. We drove home, pushed the button to the garage door opener, pulled the car in and shut the door.

    How does one share ideas with their community If they don’t know the people around them?